Democrats and the liberal media's double standard on toxic chemicals

The liberal Sarasota Herald-Tribune's editorial board has an interesting article lamenting the removal of Dr. Deborah Rice from an EPA panel titled, "Chemical conflicts".

They and the Democratic leadership are concerned that politics may get in the way of public health and safety because Dr. Rice was not allowed to stay on a panel reviewing the potential dangers of a chemical (olybrominated diphenyl ether [PBDE] known as deca) used in flame retardants in electronic equipment.

What the Herald-Tribune does not tell you is that Dr. Rice is also an expert on the effects of methylmercury exposure to children and adults.

In 2003 Dr. Rice addressed the effects of methylmercury to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. During this testimony she concluded that, "at least eight studies have found an association between methylmercury levels and impaired neuropsychological performance in the child....there is a substantial percentage of women of reproductive age in the United States with levels of methylmercury in their bodies above what EPA considers a safe level."

She went on to say, "As a result of this, over 300,000 newborns each year are exposed to methylmercury above levels US EPA believes to be “safe”....increased exposure to methylmercury may result in atherosclerosis, heart attack, and even death from heart attack in men, suggesting that an additional large segment of the population may be at risk as a result of environmental methylmercury exposure."

This is the same Herald-Tribune editorial board that touted a new energy bill passed by the Democratic Congress this year in their editorial, "Jump start for energy policy".

Dropped into this new energy bill by the Democrat leadership in Congress is a provision to mandate the phase-out of the 125-year-old incandescent bulb in the next four to 12 years in favor of a new generation of trendy, supposedly energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs), pictured above.

These bulbs contain mercury!

Mercury helps create the increased efficiency of a CFL bulb. If the bulb breaks, the mercury will contaminate an area. Secondly, when these millions of bulbs burn out they will be disposed of in our land fills.

Our question is why didn't the Democratic leadership listen to Dr. Rice and the serious health consequences of mercury? Given the current health risks from mercury exposure why did they add this new risk and mandate that the risk be brought into American homes?

It is interesting how the Democratic leadership is concerned when a scientist that disagrees with the chemical industry is dismissed from a panel but that same scientist is not listened to by the Democratic leadership when it comes to the dangers of another chemical made by the same industry that they mandate be put in all our homes.

Democrats mandating the use of light bulbs that contain mercury is like mandating the use of toys or paint that contain lead. There is no difference. Democrats are putting our children, our homes and our lives at risk in the name of the environment.

This is insane. What do you think?

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